Summer Daze
by Shocotate
Summary: After Greed abandons the Homunculi, Pride and Lust are tasked with collecting their other younger siblings and proving they can still work together. Or; Pride, Lust, Envy and Gluttony spend a day on Yock Island.


It's a few days after the end of Summer, but I finally finished this, the Homunculus Vacation! I've mentioned a few times in my other fics :) This is set in the Summer of 1811, just after Greed has abandoned Father after making the the 4th Crest of Blood.

Huge thanks for Pieyety for looking over some stuff, and my Beta-reader Violetlight ^_^

* * *

**Summer Daze**

The tips of his hair dipped in the water, flowing with the current like black reeds.

"Huh?" Envy blinked in the morning air. Must've dozed off.

With his elbows resting on the edge of their rowboat, still gazing into the lake through his blurred vision, Envy saw some weird swimming insect with two oars for legs – making it look so _easy_ – get swept away by Big Brother's actual oar, the only oar on this dumb, cramped boat. At the same time Lust sliced gently with her extended Spears, pushing them forward _just _enough for it to make a difference.

_Where the hell were they going, anyway?_

Envy raised his head, sitting up properly and shaking more awake despite the aching in his limbs. How long had they been running this time? It felt like all night, the three of them darting over the forest paths as swift and silent as shadows (but not Big Brother's kind) while Gluttony just kinda plodded at the back of the line, until at last the path underfoot had bled into stone and then warm sand.

If he squinted, his already-perfect eyes could make out a dark, blurrier patch in the middle of the lake. Tensing, the crackling of his regeneration fizzed until the ache faded completely.

"How come I hafta sit at the back?" It was a bit late to bring up, but whatever.

** "Because you do." **In the near total darkness, Brother's voice echoed out only through his container, curled up in its little brown tailcoat, hiding a blood-specked shirt (some other fun he'd missed out on!). All the better to be skulking around in, given how adamant they were about only travelling at night, just not for him.

"Envy is heavy! Sometimes!" Gluttony yelled from the front of the boat.

"And why does _he_ get to sit up front?!" Envy otherwise ignored the mention of his _weight, _because it went without saying that _he, _Envy, had that under complete control.

"Because he does." Lust purred from her place in the middle, still 'rowing' with her right hand. "Call it counterbalancing."

The younger homunculus simply huffed. _Way to go, little brother. _He hadn't spent...however long it was, cooped up on the top floor with Gluttony to get sassed like this. He remembered putting the finishing touches on his newest letter when who should turn up but his dear siblings. Not Greed (nope) but _those two_, blank faced verging on slightly miffed as they smashed the hotel door in and dragged him out. He remembered Gluttony half crying from his corner. No kicking and screaming from him though, as if.

But that was weeks ago! And how were they any closer to home? Pride always said something about feeling for Father's _power_ around them, but it seemed as distant as ever no matter how hard Envy focused. Where were they? He tried to remember what that sign at the pier had said. Lake Ka…something, in Dublith, right?

"Oooh! Island, look, look, Lust!"

"Yes, Gluttony, that's where we're going." She whispered, calming their little brother down. Still without any of the whys he _should've_ been asking. This wasn't going home and letting Father see that it was all _Greed's_ fault! "The humans call it Yock Island."

The first shades of orange filtered through the early morning air, and Envy certainly didn't flinch as Pride's shadow fanned out in front of him like one of those big-tailed birds. His shadowy arms took over rowing from both sides, and Envy saw Lust turn to their older brother and start gabbing like the hag she was, but quieter, more solemn.

Must have been from talking to someone _older _for once; she could just cosy up to him and make herself feel young... stupid hag. _Look at them_, no wonder Greed used to say they were fucking. Envy hadn't believed him of course (of course not.) Though, he hadn't believed him about pissing off either, so where did that leave him?

The shape shifter shook his head, huffing again. _Nope, nope, don't think about him_. Greed could be making a pretty pile of dust in a ditch right now for all he cared. Once Envy got home Father would understand that it wasn't his fault, the Crest was done, he'd wrote all those letters, he'd even kept Gluttony safe, which had to count for something!

Their boat struck the sand, jolting Envy out of his stewing, falling flat on his face between the wooden beams.

**"Come, Envy." **Pride's tendril waved in front of him, its tiny claws ushering him along.

Groaning, he followed, crawling onto the beach to rest... And more than likely pass out.

* * *

Four figures lay scattered upon the no longer deserted island, its only visitors in who knew how long. Lust doubted anything else extraordinary could be found there, and every bird and beast – sensing them no doubt – had scampered to safety in the depths of the forest or the lake itself as they slept. Hide though they might, at least they were keeping themselves quiet, bathing the meant-to-be uninhabited island in a perfect silence.

The two eldest sprawled in the warm, untouched sand at the forest's edge, Lust half dozing in the midday sun with one hand flopped lazily over her eyes, relishing the peace and quiet.

It'd never last.

_Zzz…_

Sighing, Lust shifted, giving their abandoned, upturned boat a glance, and caught Envy's snores pouring from under it. A low, muffled sound. She almost managed to ignore it, until he apparently woke up, lashing out in his self-inflicted darkness and punching right _through_ it. His pale hand flailed in the gap he had made, until he snatched it back inside with an irked whine. Great.

Making a note of fixing _that_ later, she waited for him to start snoring again before turning her attention to her other brother. At her side, Pride's casing basked as if sunbathing, oh so silent and still, but very much awake. The dozen eyes of his shadow squinted in the light, his others lightly closed, little more than weary, glassy slits. At least he could relax somewhat, given the circumstances. One didn't exactly _forget _such a thing, but the tranquillity took their minds off it for now, hopefully. His shadow teeth slid over each other in the pools between them while he yawned, stretched and shrugged out of his tailcoat. How he'd managed to sleep in it at all astounded her. Lust watched one of his hands slither behind them and hang it neatly in the boughs of a tree. It swayed in the welcome breeze. Thank goodness, anything less and she feared her skin might start peeling.

Again.

A shiver passed through her despite the heat. Grimacing, Lust crushed it down and forced it from her mind. Don't think of _that._

She just needed to relax, too. Sitting up completely, Lust stretched out and extended her nails further and further - and skewered something in a tree. Just her luck, maybe it was a squirrel. Something cold dripped along her Lance, definitely not blood, then.

Once they'd retracted, a coconut came back hanging off her index finger, mostly 'sealed' like a cork in a wine bottle. Oh. No point in letting it go to waste, she thought, pushing onto her knees.

"Gluttony," She called, "here's some-hm?" Now where'd he gotten to?

"Here, Lust! Good morning!" Her youngest brother popped up from behind a lump of sand at the lakeside, giving her a small wave before disappearing again. No use in correcting him.

She stood, dusted the sand from her dress one handed, and padded across the beach as well as she could in her 'heels'. Pride shot her one of his knowing, bored looks as he shuffled further into the shade – his own notwithstanding. She felt Envy watching her, too. His brighter purple eyes glittered like amethysts from his little wooden shade patch. He blinked once, twice and dropped the boat with a sandy thump. Well, if Envy wanted one, he'd have to play nice and come out of his hiding spot.

Though, he shouldn't stay cooped in there anyway, getting smothered in sand. Lust smirked to herself; he would be scratching it out of his hair for hours. Even in this weather, he really should have transmuted a better outfit for sleeping in. Oh well.

Her youngest brother was gleefully digging up fistfuls of sand when Lust reached him.

"What are you doing over here? Pretending to be Sloth?"

Gluttony shook his head, brushing his hands together and scattering more sand.

"It's a sandcastle!"

Lust blinked, lips pursed.

"Really?" Who'd told him about those? Perhaps he had seen some humans making them in Central Park. Though, judging by the growing hole in the beach, he was making a castle as much as Sloth was. Faintly, Lust dared to think on what her giant of a brother could be up to. Was he enjoying his 'break' from excavating, again at Father's side, or had Father sent him away, as he had them? Even in his _current state_, Father needed protecting in their absence…

"Yeah!" Gluttony's voice broke into her musing. "Look, here's Father." He pointed a pudgy finger at a blob in the crater, and Lust's eyes shimmered in understanding.

Ah. Father _did_ call their home his castle sometimes, didn't he? Her expression softened into something of a smile.

"Hey, Lust…Are we… going home?" He mumbled, fingers rubbing together and blank white eyes conveying _something, _somehow, as they always did. Poor, homesick thing. Greed hadn't poisoned him too much, then.

"Soon, I promise." Her hand that wasn't still holding the coconut rested on his head. "You can finish your sandcastle later, but if you dig any deeper you'll end up in the lake. Come, eat this and then I'll teach you how to paddle, just in case."

"Ok!" Gluttony said before gulping the coconut in one, furred shell and all; so much for savouring coconut water. She laughed behind her freed hand.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

_D-Don't let go!_

_Shh, calm down. I'm not letting go yet…_

_That's right, Gluttony. See, you can float…_

_Goin' swimming…_

_All right…_

Echoing voices reached him, long stripes of red and black waving to and fro over his eyelids. Pride rolled onto his other side, blocking out the sunlight with his sleeves. Grains of sand were pressing into his cheek, but it didn't matter. Perhaps with Lust supervising the others he could sleep…

_Ugh, oh shit…_

_F-Fuua-urkk!_

More sounds bled to him regardless, the gentle lapping of the lake giving way to far more noisome, disruptive splashes.

_Ooh, Lust, is Envy paddling, too?_

_Not quite…_

The eldest cracked an eyelid open, lifting his head over his arms to see his brother thrashing in the water. His shadow shivered out a sigh, like his sister had.

It couldn't be helped, not like Lust and Gluttony could hope to assist Envy during one of his moods. Already Pride imagined him sinking to the depths and stomping along the bottom like a belligerent hippopotamus. Envy _would_ choose a creature that couldn't _actually_ swim to change into in his tantrums, he was sure.

Pride strode past Lust at the lake's edge, her legs outstretched in the shallows with Gluttony hanging on her Lances, cooing him some encouragement every now and then. He unbuttoned his shirt and stepped out of his shoes as he walked, his shadow moving them, as well his socks and trousers, out of the way into a folded pile. No need to get them saturated, compared to just his smallclothes, a simple white nightshirt and drawers. Much less cumbersome to swim in, he thought, and he could hang them up to dry later.

Wet sand sucked at his feet, as if dissuading him from entering the lake completely, until it deepened enough that his legs kicked against nothing. He almost sighed, the cool, refreshing water sloshing over his 'skin', up to his neck, until, like every time before in his two centuries, his container floated unnaturally to the surface. Pride's shade bled down and dug into the mud of the lakebed, anchoring him as much as tethering him, while another pair of hands wrapped his ankles and tugged him lower. There, normal seeming enough.

At the same time, more sets of hands forged ahead, scooping up his hapless brother, watching him sputter and cough. Dripping miserably, he looked much like his pathetic, cowering self those weeks before, in his hovel of a hotel room, huddled with Gluttony in the corner with ink staining his hands and painting the walls, clutching so much parchment.

"**Enjoying yourself, little brother?" **He drawled, feeling Envy's clinging fingers digging into his shadow, moulding around him in turn.** "Can't you swim?"**

Pride kicked his legs idly, leaning upon a tendril with his elbows, teasing. Envy only glowered in response. Now, as then, something of fear flickered across his eyes under his irritation, but no senseless _treachery_. Good.

**"You're too dense, Envy, both molecularly, and the other way."**

"But you're floatin' just fine!"

"**Our constructions are very different, of course." **The eldest recalled his nights spent sewing metal into the hems of his smallclothes, fighting for every inch it dragged him into the lake at Central Park. He remembered the humans in his acts and their too many prying eyes, wondering why he wouldn't go swimming with them. Irrelevant. **"I'm sure you could take a more suitable form. Though, not all aquatic creatures can swim. Crabs, for instance." **He stretched and plucked one such crab from the lake floor, and held it up with a smirk. It snapped its strange pincers, many legs flailing.

"Forget crabs!" Envy spat, swiping at him with a disfigured green claw. Shielded by his shadow, Pride let the ensuing wave crash harmlessly against his true body while his container's eyes followed the low arc of the crustacean towards the shore, straight into Gluttony's mouth.

"**Then keep on sinking like a rock." **

"Like a rock!" His youngest brother cried, clapping his hands and sending more ripples through the water. Lust motioned for him to cover his mouth while he was eating. Her shoulders shook, stifling her giggles.

"Don't laugh at me! I'll just turn into something that _can_ swim." Envy puffed up his chest, arms folded, "Like a, er, a whale, yeah!"

"**Hm, yes, a mammal. Very suiting."**

"You know, Envy," Lust shouted across the water, standing up, Gluttony now bobbing happily along by himself, "this is Yock Island. It's completely deserted. Staying here probably requires a certain amount of…" Her hand grasped the air with her rambling. "…Yock-ness…Yes." She gave him a look despite the distance; their circumspect glances conveyed her exasperation well enough. "Why not show us something amazing?"

"Do your best, Envy!"

Very well. Humouring all his younger siblings, and with a flicker of curiosity, Pride's shadows slackened, receding from his brother.

Envy sparked and sank, the silent crackling spot of him fading to a scarlet speck. Pride's long, slender arms swirled under his casing, waiting for his brother to re-emerge, probably as a trout or something. He could congratulate him on successful swimming, and maybe hang him up like one of those Xingese flags.

Something brushed fleetingly against his dark fingers, beneath his notice, until the something smashed into his container, lifting him up, and up, and the shadows oozing from his heels dangled either side of a green snout like ridiculous whiskers. Laying flat on his belly, he saw only Envy's mismatched eyes, and the vibrant red triangle of his nodes.

"This _suiting _enough?" Rumbled his brother in the deep timbre of his True Form, though no tortured moans followed it. At least he had the sense to keep _those _from his transformation.

Pride drew his own true self into his container completely as he knelt up, clambering between Envy's eyes and steadying himself on his… new horns. So far so good, they weren't sinking, yet.

"**Hm, adequate, but something's missing…"**

Gazing past the horns, Pride appraised Envy's new aquatic form. His green scales seemed more vibrant than usual, bordering on olivine, trailing down a long, speckled neck and a broad but graceful body decorated with some spiny ridges over his back. Eight strong flippers slapped against the surface, moving in a constant rhythm, the tip of his tail peeking out the water a good ten feet away from its base. Had Envy been inspired by those ancient – and nameless – bones in Central Museum? How interesting. Still, he lacked- something compared to his usual form, that trait which connected them, Gluttony excepting.

**"Something…" **The darkness spilled again and slipped over Envy's bare scalp, much like the hideous clumps that made up his True Form's hair, but the watery tendrils of his shadow made it beautiful by the association, **"like this. There, now you are yourself again."**

"H-hey, get off!" Envy roared and tossed his head, as if something so feeble could dislodge him. "Get off me!"

Suddenly Envy dipped forward, plummeting down. Pride lingered in the air for a moment, before the force dragged him down too, and the lake swallowed them both.

His container's eyes squeezed shut as the water crashed against him, so many others opening wide in his shade still serving as Envy's hair, much to his sibling's annoyance.

**"You'll have to do better than that, little brother."** His tendrils waved next to Envy's single iris in its black sclera. Its pupil thinned out. He barked out a harmless plume of bubbles and burst forward, reeling and twisting like a snake despite his size.

Envy's horns sparked and smoothed out and Pride felt his grip loosening. Biting back a yelp, some of Pride's extra hands slithered from Envy's 'hair' and coiled up around them, his container's small hands clutching as tight as he could with the torrent pushing at him. He ducked lower to Envy's scalp.

The eldest forced his container's eyes open, squinting through the water. It rushed past his face and his ears. Here, beneath the waves for the first time, it seemed everywhere and nowhere and so _alive_, just like his shadows, and every fish inhabiting it fled before them, darting around them. At his brother's side, his real body sliced the water as easy as air and flesh, and some foolish, listless creature appeared only as a cloud of crimson in the corner of his sight, forgotten instantly.

Finally, Envy slowed, pushing along with slower strokes, weaving over the lakebed but never quite touching it. Pride blew a long, deliberate breath, following the air bubbles as they rose and mingled pleasingly with his tendrils, catching the streams of sunlight breaking through. His eyes were perfect, naturally, but the water seemed clearer than he was anticipating. Were all lakes like this? It was beautiful, in its own way.

**"Given up?"** Pride spoke from the dark within himself, his voice permeating with ease.

Envy only grumbled something in his throat, swimming in an idle circle. His horns changed again, regaining their ridges. Pride's fingers fit neatly into the smooth lines between the rough sections of pale bone.

**"Very good. Now let us return to the surface and greet our sibl-" **Envy's tail cut him off, striking the lake floor like a whip, disrupting more sandy, muddy clouds.

Without warning he launched himself from the lakebed, the rippling speck of sunlight rushing towards them. All at once Envy's front four flippers breached out of the water entirely, slamming down with another thunderous roar. Dimly, as the water poured out his ears Pride might have heard Lust and Gluttony wailing. An eye reopened in a clump of 'hair', and he saw them laid out on the beach, completely drenched as well. He couldn't see out his pale purple eyes, his container's inky strands stuck to his face, it sopping wet and breathless. His insides chattered. He found himself laughing between his gasps, trembling. Envy's massive head was shaking; maybe he was laughing too.

"Y-Yock! Yock-ness!" Gluttony cried once he'd sat up, "That's it! Congrats, Envy!"

Pride smiled to himself, and let Envy bask in the simple praise. In the noonday sun, his new form cast a strange, unique shadow upon the lake, but he allowed it.

It's not like any human would ever notice.

* * *

Finally got Pride off his back, literally.

Drifting along on the current, Envy caught some chirps echoing over from the beach opposite, though it went easily ignored in the silence of _their _island as he weaved atop the waves, free of those damp shadows.

The sunlight began to dip behind the bird-filled trees, tinting the lake a rich orange, like swimming in lava, awesome. Though, the rays kinda focused on top of his scaly head, burning a little. Envy dived again, water cooling his warm scales from his warm blood, nothing like a real lizard that way. Way better than them.

Time to strike, anyway. Bellowing something between a whistle and a howl, he shot towards the shore, scattering another dozen fish from his terrifying self. They darted and leapt away from the danger, and into the waiting spears on the sand.

"That should be plenty. Good job, little brother." Lust's voiced poured to him, and he heard her counting out their catch, rinsing her Lances.

Head resting in the shallows, he grinned, snorting just for the bubbles it made. Lust's blurry shape peered down and he hoped she was smiling too, his sister all for him and with eyes only for him, for once. Even in the lake he felt tingly all over, and not just from the threat of sunburn. Rearing up, he splashed her just a little, and got a pointy slap for his trouble. Not like it hurt, or anything.

Envy glanced across the beach. Lil' bro sat staring at nothing in particular, next to some sorta waterlogged hole with an oversized leaf on his head. Hm, now there was an idea…

Some dumb gold line of an eel slithered in the red around his slashed, sparking flipper. It hadn't time for the blood to turn to ash in its mouth before it got skewered too.

"Here, Gluttony." Lust called. His brother lifted the leaf from over his eyes, caught the eel in his mouth and sucked it up like a noodle. It was probably better that way, compared to the disgusting jellied eels being hawked in Central these days. Envy thought back to the pike earlier; shitty thing thought it could take him on, if Pride hadn't cut it in half _he_ would have swallowed it whole; that wouldda taught it. "Oh and Envy, come on, you'll need ironing if you stay in there any longer."

Speaking of Big Bro, there he was wringing out his _undergarments_ one last time and slipping back into his fancy clothes. His previously blood-specked shirt took a dip in the lake too, hanging over one of his overly long arms, apparently dry enough for his liking now. His nightshirt and the rest joined his coat in the tree branch. Huh, his suitcase was up there as well.

Approaching the shore, his extra pair of limbs and scales melted away, his flippers reforming into feet and he stood upright. With a magnificent flick of his hair Envy strode from the water back in his beautiful shape – _completely dry –_ and lay down at the first place the sand stopped, wanting nothing else but to bask and wait for the moon to rise.

Like that'd happen.

What could have been an hour or a minute later Pride's long but marginally less dangerous shadow covered him, though the real one wavered behind his little body, growing a couple of eyes.

**"Lust and I are going hunting, and you two," **Two little claws bubbled up to point, while a third unhooked his suitcase from the tree.** "are to prepare the fish for when we return."**

What was assuredly _his and Lust's_ catch lay wrapped in that big leaf Gluttony had before, a mix of several trout, perch, roach and two fat carp. Decent, and exuding a fresh muddy 'aroma', not all that unpleasant compared to other fish. That must've been a sea fish thing, not that importing them from Aerugo did their stench any favours.

"Why can't Gluttony go instead?"

**"Gluttony's nose will serve better in your task than ours," **

Envy nodded stiffly, trying to think of some excuse. Despite his little bro's questionable tastes, his nose _was_ on point when it came to rotten or underdone food, even though the humans he ate were usually both.

**"and I'm sure you want there to _be _something left to eat."**

Lust stood deeper in the woods, cooing her 'see-you-later's to Gluttony, one hand resting on her hip, fingers twitching a bit**. **She waved Pride over.

**"Oh, and make a fire, too, of course."**

"Uh…how?"

Pride stopped and flashed him that usual bored, condescending look, like it was obvious. His mouth opened a tad, but closed again and curled into a tiny, tiny smirk.

**"I'm certain you'll figure it out." **He spoke through the rippling in his shadow, one of them handing him a… cookbook and tinderbox from the case, the container rolling its eyes and turning away.

The eventual middle child thought about calling after them, then thought better of it. On one hand, no way he'd have Big Bro stealing Lust away from him, but on the other, if she stayed she'd have to help out with the…_cooking_. Envy downplayed his shudder at the idea, keeping his trap shut and purely _letting_ them wander off. His siblings disappeared into the brush, probably gossiping between themselves about something obviously not meant for _them_.

"Hmph, fine." Envy sniffed, "C'mon Gluttony, let's get some firewood."

The two younger homunculi set off in the opposite direction, Envy passing Gluttony the tinderbox (no need for _that_) and he opened the book on a random page, not really reading it. He puffed a low, bored whistle, and Gluttony did his best to copy him, to no avail.

Hm…making a fire…Envy tried to remember what one of his 'superiors' said, in those days spent meandering at HQ, what felt like forever ago.

_Now remember, if you ever get stranded (like some kinda dumbass), you can make a fire by…_

Something about flint and steel, right?

Shouldn't be too hard, on both fronts. With his mostly bare feet scuffing the dirt Envy flicked through the cookbook proper. It scribbled something about the best types of wood to use for smoking fish; why did something like that matter? _Humans_…

The cover of trees gave way to harsher sunlight and-

"Ppft-!" He tripped over something, getting a mouthful of sand, back on the beach. Hissing, the shape shifter kicked whatever tripped him with his _actual_ strength, sinking further into the sand as he lashed out. There!

Their little wooden rowboat all but disintegrated.

…Oh crap.

"Firewood!" Gluttony cried, shaking the tinderbox up and down in lieu of clapping, his other hand holding the fish in their leaf.

True enough. Firewood was firewood.

Shrugging, Envy scooped up whatever long-ish pieces of wood remained, balancing the planks on one open hand like plates. Heh, just like the old days…

And besides, those two should be thanking him for finding a new use for that crappy boat; it had a hole in it anyway! Breaking it apart and making it worthwhile again, that was just like alchemy, yeah! Envy nodded along with his own impeccable reasoning, and Gluttony just trailed close behind.

Eventually the duo reached a clearing, not too open, with an enormous oak tree at one end, maybe. Perfect camping spot, if Envy did say so himself. A bunch of birds screeched and took off the second they got anywhere near it. There, _now _it was perfect.

"Pile this up, Gluttony."

"Ok!"

"No, not like that, in a triangle, like on your wrist – and shove some of those leaves in the middle." Envy pointed to his own wrist, while it lengthened into one of his recent, favoured blades, catching whatever sunlight peeked over the trees. His fist crackled and turned a duller grey. "Good. Now, fire needs air, so blow on it, _gently_, when it gets going. I'll tell ya when."

His little brother nodded, watching the wood intently. Squatting down on his haunches (and pushing the cookbook _far _away with his blunt hand), Envy leant close and struck his hands together, scattering sparks. Brother's shadow couldn't do anything like _this. _Envy smiled one of his face splitting smiles at the thought, watching the amber sparks bounce off one 'hand' and into the strips of wood.

They turned to dust more often than not before they reached the dead leaves. He struck again and again, pouring just as much dust as sparks, but he didn't wince, nope, not once!

Finally, a tiny wisp rose from the pile.

"Now, Gluttony!"

Gluttony blew a soft breath behind his hands, chin flat on the floor. His blank eyes blinked at the first sign of smoke.

The few crackles faded…until a strip of wood split from the heat. An orange blob shimmered inside.

"F-Fire!" He crawled backwards, shivering.

"Nailed it!" Envy whooped so hard he nearly extinguished the little flame, leaping to his feet, arms raised and reforming as regular fists. "Gluttony, go get some more sticks for the fish. We'll have them all finished before _those two _get back."

Oh yes, his older siblings would come back to see the fish _he'd _caught all nice and cooked, Lust wouldn't have to do any cooking at all and they'd be so pleased with him. Envy smirked to himself.

He didn't watch his little brother waddle off, flexing his fingers and rechecking his sleevelets, how high they fell under his elbows. He tugged one up a bit. Yeah, that looked right.

Gluttony came back way too quick; his hands were cupped, holding a stack of… _matches_!

"Oh what the fuck, where'd ya get those!"

"From the little box."

...Oh. Well…

Envy tossed them into the fire anyway.

* * *

The fire crackled lazily, what little remained of their kill dripping its fat into the flames, hissing.

"It's called venison. It comes from deer, or in this case, a stag." Lust explained, pushing the bare shoulder joint away, stretching forward and slicing a couple more ribs free. Her younger brothers nodded, still noisily chewing on the hind legs they had torn off.

"Venison! Deer!" Gluttony babbled, chewing on a bone, the stag's magnificent pelt draped over him like a cape.

Beside her, Pride busied himself with gentle bites while his shadow crunched the other shoulder, bone and flesh both disappearing behind his flat, even teeth. Lust grinned, admiring how clean his shirt had remained – despite their _hunting_ – rather grateful for her own 'clothing'. She thought of the _noble _creature bucking and screaming in the wondrous pools of her brother's shadow, hooves stuck fast like tar until the graceful flick of her Lance ended its suffering. She shuddered at the fresh memory of the hunt as she bit down; it brought even more flavour to the beast's flesh.

**"Yes, it is quite expensive among humans."** Pride nodded, and as he pushed up he cast her a wry, smug look that said he knew the others would not see his purely _intentional _pun. **"Gluttony, clean up. I will return shortly."**

"Ok!"

While Envy snickered from the pun regardless, cleaning his teeth with a fish bone, Pride's tendril slithered past her, picking up the cookbook and tinderbox he'd given him. He struck a match from the almost empty matchbox within, and held it neatly between two shadowy claws, and then struck another, another, until four, five miniscule flames lingered in his growing shadow. In the night air, Lust watched them dance around his small shape like will-o'-wisps as his container and shadow melted into the forest.

Even if Envy had insisted on using _their boat_ for his campfire, _how_ he'd needed to waste almost an entire box of matches to do it was another question entirely. Still, at least she need not worry about trying to repair it in the morning.

"H-Hey, I aint done yet!" Speaking of which, Envy swatted their little brother away, "Go 'clean up' the other stuff first." he practically shielded the leg with his body, tearing more frantic bites from the bone.

Once Gluttony was done eating everything _else, _he yawned, dabbed his mouth with the front paw of the pelt, and then ate that as well. Lust found herself yawning, too.

"We should get some rest."

Envy shot to his feet, "I call top branch!" he said as he leapt over the fire. His body sparked red.

"Wha-" Lust barely had time to turn around before Envy had fully shifted into his True Form and scrambled into the boughs of the enormous oak tree. Though, not quite, it seemed much smaller than usual, not even as big as his form on the lake, but still big enough. At least he remembered the hair this time. The great oak groaned, but refused to bend to its new occupant.

"Actually, I think I'll take the whole tree!" Envy cackled, wriggling like a cat, his tail flicking to and fro. His puff of air snuffed out the campfire. "Oops…"

"You can stay like that, but you keep _those _in check, right?" She pointed a sharp fingernail towards his neck. They did not need any _company_.

"Got it."

Five minutes later the three of them settled amid the arms of the oak tree, her brothers already dozing off. None of that for her, though.

The cloudless night brought a certain chill with it, sparse rays of moonlight filtering through the leaves. The wind whistled dully.

Lust switched her crossed legs, breathing a sigh that froze in the air. _What's keeping him?_ She mused of _before,_ their long, long conversations, of their siblings, their plans, literature, alchemic theory, or of nothing at all. She missed that. She missed the Underground.

Suddenly – thankfully – her skin prickled, a familiar pressure reaching her, and Lust crawled forward, peering out over Envy's curled up tail. Without a sound, her brother padded into the clearing, clutching his suitcase, brown tailcoat fluttering in the breeze. Whether he was getting cold, or preferred not to hold it, she could not be sure.

**"A rather unique camping spot." **Pride said dryly, a faint smirk gracing his container's boyish face, bleeding more vividly into his shadow.

"Envy's idea. It's comfortable enough." Lust whispered as his shadows gently lifted the container, slithered up the bark and set it down between Envy's many paws.

Lust shuffled back to her spot to Pride dusting off his sleeves, leaning against Envy's scales and lighting another match. Despite the weeks of wear, his human clothes held no serious blemishes, refined as ever. He set the suitcase down between himself and Gluttony. She thought of those days spent jostling westward on whatever wretched husks of trains the humans had kept running amidst the chaos – one-way only, to collect their siblings. Pride always held the little suitcase in his lap as he clung to her, just to keep up appearances; it lacked any clothes or other expected items, but the story it conveyed did its job. She thought of the cookbook rattling around inside it and made a note to perhaps try some of the recipes for her siblings once they got home.

_Home._

At all once the memory of Father's punishing thought poisoned her own, just like earlier. She faltered, her fingers balling into fists. Was it enough? How could she prove Gluttony and Envy were as loyal as Father desired, as loyal as she?

**"Lust?"** Her brother's voice eased her out of her daze. He was gazing up at her curiously, his billowing shadow holding no mouths and his container's settled in a small frown. Of course, only he truly seemed to understand their Devotion. It came naturally, innate as their Sin and she knew that under his liquid flesh it burned just as fiercely as in her. So why couldn't the others understand?

"All this…this is what Father wanted of us." She said, half trying to convince herself and half pleading, scarcely above a whisper lest her younger brothers wake. They could not see her like this.

**"You know it is." **Pride mumbled it purely through his container's mouth, **"**You were there with me, dear sister." ****His thin fingers flexed and fidgeted in his lap. He struck another match and the new filters in his container's eyes shimmered faintly; she could still see the darkness trembling in the ruin of his face from that day, thin and weak as drizzle. Her new skin shone in the firelight, too bright against the old.

"It will never happen again." Despite herself Lust reached out, brushing his cheek, just to know it was real. He did not flinch at the contact, but his shadow tensed, growing so many questioning eyes, his true, weary eyes, a man's eyes.

Father's nigh divine Punishment went unsaid, but she saw its memory warring within him, too.

**"No, **I am certain Father will be satisfied with Envy and Gluttony's Devotion when we return home." ****Pride reassured her, coming to rest against her as in their acts. But there was no need to act here, for any of them. Pride's true self rippled in the amber glow and Lust wondered how many matches he had left, even if the moonlight let them remain, they stood so much bolder in the warmth of the candlelight. His container was warm, too, its meagre weight comforting somehow.

"This is why Father sent us here," She breathed, "Greed never understood, but now-"

"Quiet down w-will ya!"

Lust started at the sound, jolting upright and turning towards the voice.

"Jeez, _s_ome of us__'re tryna...uh…sleep!" The forest turned red in the light from Envy's Stone, his jaws snapping open and shut, though it was obvious he was only half-awake,

"_Sleep! Sleep...! It hurts…_" and like irritated boils a few souls erupted from his neck. So many wails cried out afterwards, until the clawed finger of his foremost hand pushed them back 'in'.

"**Hush, Envy." **They said together, automatically, though Pride's echoing drowned her out.

"Go back to sleep." She said, and noted how out of breath she sounded. How strange. The order was absorbed with a drowsy nod and mumble, and Envy rested his head on the bough again. Gluttony just yawned in his sleep and rolled over, settled between Envy's two sets of hind legs lest he fall.

**"You need to rest, too." **A tiny, almost imperceptible wince crossed his face, the flame burnt down to almost nothing. Dust rose from his sharp fingertips as it dissolved his shadow.

Lust nodded, "We both do." She said as she leant so, so close, and extinguished the flame with a sigh. His eyelids drooped, his small, open hands rested on Envy's scales and when Envy snored, bathing them in crimson, she felt his real self stirring around her, his eyes watching until they faded in the darkness again. She let her hand rest beside his. For now, it was enough.

The four siblings nestled together.

* * *

The early morning fog cloaked them. Much like the day before, the four homunculi flowed silently over the water, and though lacking their wooden boat, they had found a much more enjoyable method of traversing the lake.

Pride stretched out upon Envy's scaly hide, gazing up at his suitcase hooked upon his sibling's right horn, and the black, flowing mane of sorts falling in elegant strands around them. At least he had learned.

"Though it's too misty to see right now, the shore of _real_ civilisation is just ahead." Envy crowed like a train conductor, "I hope your journey upon the Sea Lizard Envy was a pleasant one, and if not, tough." He shook his entire body for emphasis, clearly enjoying the waves it caused.

**"But no sea beast are you. 'Lake Kauroy Snake' has a much more charming ring to it. And it rhymes."  
**

Envy grumbled something about not being a snake, floating along a little quicker, tail swishing.**  
**

"No, brother mine, did you forget this is a creature born of Yock-ness?" Lust purred from beside one of Envy's spines, laughing at her ridiculous concept that had somehow lasted into the new morning. Her nails skimmed through the water, perhaps fishing again. "_Yock__ Island_ Snake is much better."

"Ssss…Snake!"

"For the last time, I am _not_ a snake. Look at these flippers!" He raised each of his eight limbs in turn, splashing.

"…Yock Island Spider, then." His sister offered, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"AArrgh!" Envy's groan came out as a roar, until it broke down into a laugh, which sounded just as much like a roar. A ways off, some resting birds took flight at the sound, though, _his_ presence would have sent them fleeing sooner or later anyway.

"And here we are at our final stop, Dublith." Envy turned slowly, like a swan until he stopped in front of the pier. "I've never been, but I'm sure it's great. Now get off."

Pride stepped neatly onto the pier, his shadow pooling at his feet, his sister joining him a moment later.

"…Sandcastle!" Gluttony cried suddenly as he slid off Envy's back.

"That one makes no sense." Envy rolled his many eyes, leaping out of the water and landing on one knee, back in his preferred form. "and besides I'm me again now."

"No! My sandcastle," Gluttony peered longingly back toward the island. "I didn't finish it!" Fat little tears welled up in his round eyes. Pride recalled Lust mentioning his simple minded brother's 'castle', a replica of Father's Lair, before the thrill of the hunt had silenced them. "Father will be mad at me…"

"Shhh, don't worry. We can make another one, right now." Lust said softly to him.

"We…We can?"

"Yeah! And it'll be even better this time cos _I'll _be helping." Envy chimed in.

Pride watched the three of them chatter for a moment, until Gluttony turned to him, pottering over.

"Will you help, too, Big Brother?" He asked, a finger hooked in the corner of his mouth.

Lust and Envy turned as well, looking to him for _permission_ – as well they should – all three pairs of eyes glistening with utmost respect. Pride's Sin flared, something like warmth uncoiling out into his true body. This was what Father desired! What Greed had never understood. One day he would drag his miserable excuse of a brother before their Creator and he would see sense, but until then…

**"Of course." **He said**, **his rows of teeth clicking together in the morning light.** "The train to Central does not leave until noon, so we have ample time. Father will be most pleased."**

Mollified, his youngest brother grinned his widest, toothiest grin, and Envy followed suit. Lust watched their siblings dash over to the beach, strolling after them with a hand on her hip. She looked back, eyes alight and her painted lips curved just so, one of her genuine smiles. The two eldest exchanged their own glances, as ever.

_This is what Father wanted._**  
**

Smiling too, Pride joined his siblings on the sand, crafting a perfect tribute to their Father, a testament to their unending Devotion, until they could again bask at his side, in his glory, atoned…and loved.**  
**

No matter what their treacherous sibling _chose_ to believe, in their acts and outside them, they were a family again.


End file.
